Measure Up, Here's how: An article about how to choose the right tape measure.
Tape measures are essential tools for any handyman or DIY enthusiast. But how do you know which tape measure is best for you and your projects?
We’ve created this guide to help walk you through the basic features of a tape measure and how you can use them for your next project. With the right tools, all it takes is a little know-how to create a fantastic home project that is beautiful while saving you time and money.
A tape measure - what is it?
As the name suggests, a tape measure measures distance by creating a perpendicular ruler to the measurement item.
The tape measure has markings along its length that are usually in inches or millimeters. A tape measure blade is traditionally constructed out of metal, plastic, cloth, or other materials.
Which tape measure is best suited to your needs?
Whether you’re a homeowner or a professional, it helps to know the basics of a tape measure. Measuring is an essential step in any construction project, whether it involves building furniture, reconstructing walls, flooring, and cabinets, or adding draperies and another décor to your home.
It’s essential to have a tape measure that gives you various measurement units and accuracy and readability.
When choosing the right tape measure, think about your preferences. For example, do you prefer a compact size that fits your pocket or clips to your belt? Or do you need something for measuring longer distances, such as outdoors or on a larger surface?
Electronic measuring devices are incredibly lightweight and versatile, which are great if you need to measure large areas without having the bulk associated with traditional measuring tapes.
Different types of tape measures.
Before you can determine the tape measure that’s right for you, you’ll need to understand the types of tape measures out there.
- Cloth Tape: A cloth measuring tape is essential if you plan to sew and need to measure the fabric. It is made from a flexible and long piece of material and measures the body’s fabric.
These measuring tapes typically measure 60 inches in length, but you can buy specialty fabric measuring tapes up to 120 inches.
These measuring tapes typically measure 60 inches in length, but you can buy specialty fabric measuring tapes up to 120 inches.
- Spring Tape: The spring-style measuring tape has a blade that retracts into a case and commonly comes in lengths of 12, 16, 25, and 35 feet.
- Surveyors tape: measures longer distances and are either spring retractable or hand crank to retract the blade. They vary in size from 50 – 200 feet.
- Laser measuring devices: These are great for most projects and highly accurate to with of an inch. The most common models measure up to 165 feet accurately.
Reading a tape measure, what do the markings mean?
A measuring tape blade is marked in inches and feet and smaller increments of one inch; each mark is equivalent to of an inch. Each inch has lines of varying heights, starting from the shortest to tallest for the length of each inch.
See Image Below:
It has feet marked with a black arrow above 12 inches, 24 inches, and every 12 inches after that.
The smaller red numbers above the inches that start after one foot are inches added to the foot for measurements such as 4 feet 6 inches.
You also have a couple of special marks on the measuring tape.
A red box on 16, 32, 48, 64, and every 16 inches after that. Those marks are used chiefly for framing and represent 16-inch centers.
The small black diamond every 19 and three sixteenths inches is for structural truss systems layout.
Image provided below for clarification.
Final Thoughts:
Whether you are a craftsman or a DIY’er, you’ll always need to check dimensions or create distance marks, so investing in a tape measure that can be used with confidence on any project is a good idea. 🙂